Tumor-specific drug delivery has the potential to minimize toxicity to normal tissues and improve the bioavailability of therapeutic agents to tumor cells (Hallahan et al., 1995b; Arap et al., 1998). Targeting ligands include antibodies and peptides that accumulate in tumors by specific binding to target molecules present on tumor vasculature, endothelial cells associated with tumor vasculature, and tumor cells. Effective target molecules are generally cell surface receptors or other molecules present at the exterior of tumor cells such that they are accessible to targeting ligands (Hallahan et al., 2001a).
Existing site-specific drug delivery systems include ligands that recognize a tumor marker such as Her2/neu (v-erb-b2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homologue 2), CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen; Ito et al., 1991), and breast cancer antigens (Manome et al., 1994; Kirpotin et al., 1997; Becerril et al., 1999). See also PCT International Publication No. WO 98/10795. In an effort to identify ligands that are capable of targeting to multiple tumor types, targeting ligands have been developed that bind to target molecules present on tumor vasculature (Baillie et al., 1995; Pasqualini & Ruoslahti, 1996; Arap et al., 1998; Burg et al., 1999; Ellerby et al., 1999).
Despite these advances, current methods for targeted drug delivery are hindered by targeting ligands that also bind normal tissues and/or a lack of targeting ligands that bind multiple tumor types. Ideally, a targeting molecule should display specific targeting in the absence of substantial binding to normal tissues, and a capacity for targeting to a variety of tumor types and stages. Thus, there exists a long-felt need in the art for methods to achieve site-specific, tumoral delivery of therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents.
To meet this need, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a method for identifying ligands that bind to irradiated tumors. Such ligands are useful for x-ray guided drug delivery, among other applications.